Kobo Daishi is said to have brought the seeds of the five grains: rice, barley, two types of millet and soy beans from China and planted some here.gokoku 五穀（米、麦、粟、きび、豆） see belowThe temple name, "space between the grains" reminds us of this legend.

Some Buddha sculptors from Korea where washed ashore here in olden times and started to carve the Yakushi Nyorai Buddha statue in thanks for their rescue.

Farmers also pray for the "GOKOKU", meaning a bountiful harvest, at temples or Shinto shrines.gokoku kigan 五穀祈願orgokoku hojo (gokoku hoojoo) 五穀豊穣, the fertility of the five grainsGokoku Hojo / English Reference : also Festivals, usually in Spring

The old state rituals of Takayamasai, Goryuusai (Goryūsai 五竜祭) and Raikoosai (Raikōsai) were especially famous.

The number FIVE also means PLENTY in the symbolic language of ancient Japan. In Chinese, it also means "all the grains and cereals".FIVE in Chinese also refers to the five elements.

There areThe Three Guardian Gods of the Five GrainsGokoku shugo no san nin no kamisama五穀守護の三人の神様

One of them is Oo Anamura no Kami, another name for Okuninushi no Kami.五穀守護の神 大己貴命（大国主命）

五穀神: Ogetsuhime (Oogetsuhime )オオゲツヒメthe Food-Goddess. She produced food from different parts of her body.The Land of Awa (粟（阿波）国) is called Ogetsuhime. Today it is Tokushima prefecture.Ohter spellings of her name: 大宜都比売、大気都比売神、大宜津比売神She is also known as "Ukemochi no kami" (Uke-Mochi-No-Kami) 食保（うけもち）神, deity who preserves food or the soul of the rice grain. Wakaukanome.

quoteA deity appearing in an "alternate writing" quoted within Nihongi. The name uke is synonymous with uka, meaning "food," with the result that ukemochi no kami means a tutelary of foodstuffs, although some theories suggest that the kami is identical to Ōgetsuhime. According to Nihongi, Amaterasu commanded Tsukuyomi to go to Ukemochi, whereupon Ukemochi produced various foods from her mouth, including "things broad of fin" and "things narrow of fin," "things rough of hair" and "things soft of hair," and these she presented on one-hundred serving tables as a feast to Tsukuyomi.

Tsukuyomi, however, was enraged at being served foods that were "polluted" (since they had issued from Ukemochi's mouth), and drew his sword and killed Ukemochi. Hearing of this, Amaterasu sent Amenokumanoushi to investigate; it was found that cattle and horses were produced from the head of Ukemochi's dead body, rice was produced from her belly, and wheat and beans were produced from her genitals.